Notes: Running back and fullback updates
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Stanford's running back room is much more than just Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey deservedly gets his share of headlines, but it's the presence of players like Bryce Love, Daniel Marx and possibly some emerging freshmen that gives the unit the depth needed to succeed in the long run.
Cardinal running backs coach Lance Taylor addressed the developments of several members of the position after Monday's practice.
On the growth of Bryce Love over the last year...
"I think one of the biggest things is he's had a full offseason in the weight room with Shannon. He was a guy that when he first came in, he was 180 pounds. And of course he has world-class speed, elite speed. But he even surprised us, even that first raining camp, how tough of a runner he was, how strong he was in his lower body. Fast forward... he's improved so much more even in that area because now he's been in Turley's program. You can really see the strength in his legs. Solly tried to tackle him a couple of times here in training camp and he runs through tackles. And not just Solly, but some of our pretty big defensive linemen, and he continues to run through those tackles. (Bryce) not only has that breakaway, home run speed, but he also has that ability to run between the tackles and be a strong runner against contact."
On Cameron Scarlett's significant improvement and return to full health...
"Seeing how much he has improved from spring to training camp, you really do question how much it really was health related. Because he is a different person today and in training camp than he was even in spring. Coming out of spring, in our player evaluation meetings, we really told him. 'Hey, you need to have a great offseason and summer to be able to come in if you want to help this football team in the fall.' And he has proven it in run game, pass game and in protections. His knowledge of the system has improved. His effort and intensity - he looks like the Cam that we recruited coming out of high school. He does all the dynamic things out of the backfield and he can make a guy miss. I think part of that is coming off an ACL. I've had two of them myself - it takes a while for you to feel 100 percent making cuts and making guys miss."
On true freshmen Dorian Maddox and Trevor Speights...
"Both of those guys have done really well. Trevor has come in - he kind of had video game numbers coming out of the state of Texas, which we love what we saw on film and think he's going to fit our scheme perfectly. Dorian was a guy who was a two-way, or really even three-way when you talk about offense, defense and special teams, player. I love his attention to detail, how well he's mastered the system early on. He's really focused in and locked in on the details, which I think gives him a great chance to be in the mix. We like the combination of both of those young guys."
Taylor added that it is too early to determine whether one or both of Maddox and Speights will play this season.
Stanford's running backs coach also had high praise for the players tasked with the role of blocking for McCaffrey, Love, Maddox, Speights and co.
"I think honestly the unsung heroes to me are the fullbacks," Taylor said. "You look at Daniel Marx and what he does for our offense - he was phenomenal last year. He's lost 12 -15 pounds. He looks great right now, the way he's moving coming off a serious leg injury. And then Chris Harell coming in last year and starting in the Pac-12 championship game and a Rose Bowl, he just did a phenomenal job. Reagan (Williams) is a guy who hasn't played yet, but when you put him in short yardage and goalline situations, he moves people. And he's going to find a place on the field for us this year."
The fullbacks figure to have a say in how Stanford ultimately decides to approach short yardage and goalline situations.
"That's one of the biggest areas that we're looking for a guy to step up," Taylor said. "We've had one short yardage and goalline live period and Bryce was unfortunately out during that with an injury, so he didn't get to compete. He was a guy that during the spring, he did an excellent job for us. You look at him, he's only 189 pounds even now, today, but he did an excellent job for us. But the guys who did well this camp: Christian did really well. Cam Scarlett looks like he's a guy, a big back in the mode of Gaffney. He looks like he can carry the rock for us in those situations, And also Daniel Marx did really well. He's a fullback but was a running back in high school who has great ball skills and good feet."
Stanford won't hesitate to involve McCaffrey in its short yardage situations despite his value in numerous other parts of the game.
"I think Christian has proven that he can do it all," Taylor said. "We would have felt comfortable with him doing it last year if we wouldn't have had Remound or if Remound would have went down. So I could see honestly probably any combination of those three having certain packages in our short yardage and goalline. Christian is going to get plenty of carries in our short yardage and goalline packages just because he's dynamic. Any time he touches the ball he has a chance to score. And I think Cam Scarlett and Daniel Marx are going to also get carries as well."